The present invention is directed toward phosphonoacetic esters, acids, and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts which are characterized by (Formula I) and which are useful as anti-inflammatories and anti-arthritic agents.
The present compounds are useful in humans and lower animals as a safe and effective treatment of diseases characterized by abnormal phosphate and calcium metabolism, and as a treatment of inflammation. These diseases include osteoporosis, Paget's disease, periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, neuritis, bursitis, soft tissue mineral disorders, ankylosing spondylitis, atherosclerosis, multiple myeloma of bone, metastatic bone disease, and mitral valve calcification. They represent a novel method of treating inflammation.